Plating apparatus and method for dividing plating tank into anode chamber and cathode chamber

Abstract

To facilitate the maintenance of diaphragms and the like in face-down plating equipment. a substrate holder that holds a substrate with the surface to be plated facing downward; and an anode holder assembly that is attached to the plating tank through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank so as to be freely pulled out horizontally, the anode holder assembly having an anode holder with one or more openings in a central portion, an anode attached to the anode holder, and a diaphragm attached to the anode holder above the anode, wherein the anode holder assembly has one or more sealing surfaces that seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside, and one or more sealing surfaces that divide the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plating apparatus and a method for dividing a plating tank into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber. [Background technology]

[0002] As a plating apparatus capable of plating a substrate, a so-called face-down type or cup type plating apparatus as described in International Publication No. 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1) is known. Such a plating apparatus includes a plating tank that stores a plating solution and in which an anode is disposed, and a substrate holder (also referred to as a plating head) that is disposed above the anode and holds a substrate as a cathode.

[0003] In such face-down plating equipment, the anode is located at the bottom of the plating tank due to its structure, so that all parts above the anode must be removed for maintenance work such as anode replacement. This series of work is inefficient, time-consuming, and reduces the operating rate of the plating equipment. To solve this problem, WO 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1) adopts a configuration in which a drawer unit that can be pulled out of the plating tank is provided and the anode is placed in the drawer unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2003 / 079684 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In addition to the anode, a plating tank may be provided with a membrane (diaphragm) disposed above the anode to separate an anode chamber on the anode side from a cathode chamber on the substrate side. The membrane seals the plating solutions in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber from each other, allowing metal ions in the plating solution to pass from the anode chamber to the cathode chamber, while preventing additives in the plating solution from passing from the cathode chamber to the anode chamber. Such a membrane is a consumable member that needs to be replaced periodically, but it is disposed below the members on the substrate holder side, such as the resistor and the paddle, and is attached to the plating tank via a sealing structure to separate and seal each chamber from each other, which creates a problem that it is time-consuming to remove and attach it when replacing it. In addition, since the membrane and the anode are separated from each other, there is a concern that the height dimension of the integrated unit will be large.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve at least part of the above-mentioned problems. One of the objects of the present invention is to facilitate maintenance of diaphragms and the like arranged in a face-down plating apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to facilitate attachment of diaphragms to a plating tank in a face-down plating apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to easily and reliably seal each chamber in a plating tank with a diaphragm in a face-down plating apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with the surface to be plated facing downward; and an anode holder assembly attached to the plating tank via an opening in a side wall of the plating tank so as to be freely pulled out horizontally, the anode holder assembly having an anode holder with one or more openings in a central portion, an anode attached to the anode holder, and a diaphragm attached to the anode holder above the anode, wherein the anode holder assembly has one or more sealing surfaces for sealing the inside of the plating tank from the outside and one or more sealing surfaces for dividing the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for dividing a plating tank into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, the method including: preparing an anode holder having an anode and a diaphragm attached thereto, the anode holder having one or more sealing surfaces that seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside and one or more sealing surfaces that divide the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers; attaching the anode holder to the plating tank through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank, and closing the opening of the plating tank with the anode holder to seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside and dividing the inside of the plating tank into the anode chamber and the cathode chamber above and below the diaphragm. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a plan view showing an overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the plating module seen from below on the front side. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vertical section of a plating module. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a plating module. [Figure 6A] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the anode holder assembly. [Figure 6B] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a mounting structure of a diaphragm and an anode. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a longitudinal section of the plating module at the catholyte inlet. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the anode holder assembly. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the anode holder assembly. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly as seen from below. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, a plating apparatus 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings are shown in a schematic manner to facilitate understanding of the features of the object, and the dimensional ratios of the components are not necessarily the same as those in reality. In addition, in some drawings, XYZ orthogonal coordinates are shown for reference. In these orthogonal coordinates, the Z direction corresponds to the upward direction, and the -Z direction corresponds to the downward direction (the direction in which gravity acts).

[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus 1000 of this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 of this embodiment. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plating apparatus 1000 includes a load port 100, a transfer robot 110, an aligner 120, a pre-wet module 200, a pre-soak module 300, a plating module 400, a cleaning module 500, a spin rinse dryer 600, a transfer device 700, and a control module 800.

[0012] The load port 100 is a module for loading a wafer (substrate) accommodated in a cassette such as a FOUP (not shown) into the plating apparatus 1000 and for unloading a substrate from the plating apparatus 1000 to the cassette. In this embodiment, four load ports 100 are arranged in a horizontal line, but the number and arrangement of the load ports 100 are arbitrary. The transfer robot 110 is a robot for transferring a substrate, and is configured to transfer a substrate between the load port 100, the aligner 120, the pre-wet module 200, and the spin rinse dryer 600. When transferring a substrate between the transfer robot 110 and the transfer device 700, the transfer robot 110 and the transfer device 700 can transfer the substrate via a temporary placement table (not shown).

[0013] The aligner 120 is a module for aligning the position of an orientation flat, a notch, etc. of a substrate to a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, two aligners 120 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, but the number and arrangement of the aligners 120 are arbitrary. The pre-wet module 200 wets the surface to be plated of the substrate before plating with a treatment liquid such as pure water or degassed water, thereby replacing air inside a pattern formed on the substrate surface with the treatment liquid. The pre-wet module 200 is configured to perform a pre-wet process that makes it easier to supply plating liquid to the inside of the pattern by replacing the treatment liquid inside the pattern with a plating liquid during plating. In this embodiment, two pre-wet modules 200 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction, but the number and arrangement of the pre-wet modules 200 are arbitrary.

[0014] The presoak module 300 is configured to perform a presoak process in which an oxide film with high electrical resistance present on the surface of a seed layer formed on the plated surface of a substrate before plating is etched away with a treatment liquid such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to clean or activate the surface of the substrate to be plated. In this embodiment, two presoak modules 300 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the presoak modules 300 are arbitrary. The plating module 400 performs plating on the substrate. In this embodiment, there are two sets of 12 plating modules 400 arranged in a vertical arrangement of three modules and a horizontal arrangement of four modules, for a total of 24 plating modules 400, but the number and arrangement of the plating modules 400 are arbitrary.

[0015] The cleaning module 500 is configured to perform a cleaning process on the substrate to remove plating solution and the like remaining on the substrate after plating. In this embodiment, two cleaning modules 500 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the cleaning modules 500 are arbitrary. The spin rinse dryer 600 is a module for drying the substrate after cleaning by rotating it at high speed. In this embodiment, two spin rinse dryers 600 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the spin rinse dryers 600 are arbitrary. The transport device 700 is a device for transporting the substrate between multiple modules in the plating apparatus 1000. The control module 800 is configured to control multiple modules of the plating apparatus 1000, and can be configured from, for example, a general computer or a dedicated computer equipped with an input / output interface with an operator.

[0016] An example of a series of plating processes performed by the plating apparatus 1000 will be described. First, a substrate stored in a cassette is carried into the load port 100. Next, the transfer robot 110 removes the substrate from the cassette of the load port 100 and transfers the substrate to the aligner 120. The aligner 120 aligns the positions of the orientation flat, notch, etc. of the substrate to a predetermined direction. The transfer robot 110 delivers the substrate, whose direction has been aligned by the aligner 120, to the pre-wet module 200.

[0017] The pre-wet module 200 performs a pre-wet process on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the substrate that has been subjected to the pre-wet process to the pre-soak module 300. The pre-soak module 300 performs a pre-soak process on the substrate. The transport device 700 transports the substrate that has been subjected to the pre-soak process to the plating module 400. The plating module 400 performs a plating process on the substrate.

[0018] The transfer device 700 transfers the plated substrate to the cleaning module 500. The cleaning module 500 performs a cleaning process on the substrate. The transfer device 700 transfers the cleaned substrate to the spin rinse dryer 600. The spin rinse dryer 600 dries the substrate. The transfer robot 110 receives the substrate from the spin rinse dryer 600 and transfers the dried substrate to a cassette on the load port 100. Finally, the cassette containing the substrate is removed from the load port 100.

[0019] It should be noted that the configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 described in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is merely an example, and the configuration of the plating apparatus 1000 is not limited to the configuration in FIG.

[0020] [Plating module] Next, a description will be given of the plating module 400. Since the plating modules 400 included in the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment have the same configuration, one plating module 400 will be described.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the plating module as viewed from below on the front side. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vertical section of the plating module. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a horizontal section of the plating module. FIG. 6A is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the anode holder assembly. FIG. 6B is an explanatory view of the mounting structure of the diaphragm and the anode. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a vertical section of the plating module at the cathode liquid inlet. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the anode holder assembly. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly as viewed from above. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the anode holder assembly as viewed from below. The direction indicated by the arrow Y in FIG. 3 indicates the front-rear direction of the plating module 400, with the front plate (lid portion) 640 side of the anode holder 610 being the front side and the opposite side being the rear side.

[0022] The plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment is a plating apparatus of the type called a face-down type or a cup type, which holds the substrate Wf horizontally and plates it, as shown in Fig. 4. The plating module 400 of the plating apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment mainly includes a plating tank 10, a substrate holder 20 also called a plating head that holds the substrate Wf, a rotation mechanism, a tilt mechanism, and a lift mechanism (not shown) that rotate, tilt, and lift the substrate holder 20, a diaphragm 50 that divides the inside of the plating tank 10 into a cathode chamber Cc and an anode chamber Ca, and an anode 60 that is disposed below the substrate Wf and facing the substrate Wf. However, the tilt mechanism may be omitted.

[0023] The plating tank 10 according to this embodiment is configured as a bottomed container having an opening at the top. The plating tank 10 according to this embodiment includes an upper tank 11 and a lower tank 12. The upper tank 11 and the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10 form a roughly cylindrical internal space for storing a plating solution. The plating solution may be a solution containing ions of metal elements that constitute a plating film, and the specific example is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, a copper plating process is used as an example of a plating process, and a copper sulfate solution is used as an example of a plating solution. In this embodiment, the plating solution contains a predetermined additive. However, the plating solution is not limited to this configuration, and the plating solution may be configured not to contain additives.

[0024] A paddle 30 is disposed near the substrate Wf inside the plating tank 10. The paddle 30 reciprocates in a direction generally parallel to the surface of the substrate Wf to be plated, generating a strong flow of plating solution on the surface of the substrate Wf. This homogenizes the ions in the plating solution near the surface of the substrate Wf, improving the in-plane uniformity of the plating film formed on the surface of the substrate Wf.

[0025] A porous resistor 40 is disposed below the paddle 30 inside the plating tank 10. Specifically, the resistor 40 is configured by a porous plate member having a plurality of holes (fine holes). The plating solution below the resistor 40 can pass through the resistor 40 and flow above the resistor 40. The resistor 40 is a member provided to homogenize the electric field formed between the anode 60 and the substrate Wf. By disposing such a resistor 40 in the plating tank 10, the thickness of the plating film (plating layer) formed on the substrate Wf can be easily homogenized. Note that the resistor 40 is not an essential component in this embodiment, and the present embodiment may be configured without the resistor 40.

[0026] In this embodiment, an anode holder assembly 6 is disposed in the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10, and the anode holder assembly 6 includes a diaphragm 50, an anode 60, and a variable anode mask 650. That is, by inserting and mounting the anode holder assembly 6 in the plating tank 10, the diaphragm 50, the anode 60, and the variable anode mask 650 are disposed in the plating tank 10.

[0027] In this embodiment, the diaphragm 50 and the anode 60 are disposed below the variable anode mask 650 inside the plating tank 10 (FIGS. 5 and 6A). In this embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the anode 60 is disposed in close contact below the diaphragm 50. The diaphragm 50 divides / partitions the inside of the plating tank 10 into an anode chamber Ca (a chamber below the diaphragm 50) and a cathode chamber Cc (a chamber above the diaphragm 50). The diaphragm 50 is formed, for example, by stacking a neutral membrane and an ion exchange membrane. The configuration of the diaphragm 50 is one example, and other configurations may be used. The diaphragm 50 is fixed by being pressed against the holder body 620 from below by the seal pressing ring 51 with a seal 704 sandwiched between the diaphragm 50 and the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 (FIGS. 6A and 6B). A seal surface 704A is formed between the lower surface of the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the upper surface of the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50. The seal 704 can be disposed, for example, in a seal groove provided annularly around the entire periphery of the lower surface of the annular portion 621 of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610. As described above, in this embodiment, the anode holder assembly 6 can be configured such that the inside of the plating tank 10 is partitioned into upper and lower compartments by the diaphragm 50. Therefore, by sealing the space between the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the plating tank 10, the inside of the plating tank 10 is partitioned into an anode chamber Ca and a cathode chamber Cc with the diaphragm 50 as a boundary.

[0028] Anode fluid (plating solution) is supplied to the anode chamber Ca through an anode fluid inlet 12C provided in the bottom wall of the plating tank 10, and the anode fluid is discharged from an anode fluid outlet (not shown) provided, for example, in a side wall of the plating tank 10. Cathode fluid (plating solution) is supplied to the cathode chamber Cc through a cathode fluid inlet 680, and is discharged from a cathode fluid outlet (not shown). A plating solution (cathode fluid) containing an additive such as an accelerator is introduced into the cathode chamber Cc, and a plating solution (anode fluid) containing no additive or having a low concentration of additive is introduced into the anode chamber Ca. The diaphragm 50 allows metal ions in the plating solution to pass from the anode chamber Ca to the cathode chamber Cc, and prevents the additives in the plating solution from passing from the cathode chamber Cc to the anode chamber Ca.

[0029] The anode 60 is disposed in close contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm 50. The specific type of the anode 60 is not particularly limited, and a soluble anode or an insoluble anode can be used. In this embodiment, an insoluble anode is used as the anode 60. The specific type of the insoluble anode is not particularly limited, and platinum, iridium oxide, or the like can be used.

[0030] In this embodiment, a variable anode mask 650 is provided on the upper surface side (substrate Wf side) of the anode 60 and the diaphragm 50. The variable anode mask 650 has an opening exposing the anode 60 inside a blade 651, and is an electric field adjusting member that adjusts the electric field directed from the anode 60 to the substrate Wf by adjusting the range in which the anode 60 is exposed by the blade 651. As shown in Fig. 5, the variable anode mask 650 of this embodiment includes a plurality of blades 651, and adjusts the opening size of the opening exposing the anode 60 by a mechanism similar to the aperture of a camera.

[0031] <Anode holder assembly> The anode holder assembly (also referred to as a pull-out unit) 6 will be described in detail below. In this embodiment, the diaphragm 50, the anode 60, and the variable anode mask 650 are attached to the anode holder 610, and are integrally configured as the anode holder assembly 6 (FIGS. 3 and 4). In other embodiments, the variable anode mask 650 may be omitted or may be provided separately from the anode holder assembly 6. The anode holder assembly 6 is attached to the plating tank 10 (lower tank 12) so as to be removable. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the anode holder assembly 6 is inserted into the plating tank 10 through an opening 12B provided on the front side of the plating tank 10, and is attached to the plating tank 10. The opening 12B of the plating tank 10 is closed by the front plate (lid portion) 640 of the anode holder 610, and is liquid-tightly sealed by seals 702 and 703 (described later).

[0032] The anode holder assembly 6 includes an anode holder 610, a diaphragm 50 attached to the anode holder 610, an anode 60, and a variable anode mask 650. In other embodiments, the variable anode mask 650 may be omitted or may be provided separately from the anode holder assembly 6.

[0033] (anode holder) The anode holder 610 includes a holder body 620 and a front plate 640. The holder body 620 is a member that holds the diaphragm 50, the anode 60, and the variable anode mask 650. The front plate 640 is a member that closes the opening 12B of the plating tank 10 and liquid-tightly seals the inside of the plating tank 10 from the outside. Since the holder body 620 is a part that forms the main part of the anode holder 610, the outer periphery of the anode holder 610 refers to the outer periphery of the holder body 620, and the outer periphery of the holder body 620 refers to the outer periphery of the anode holder 610.

[0034] Holder body The holder body 620 includes an annular portion 621, a diaphragm support portion 622 integrally provided inside the annular portion 621, and a flange 623 provided on the upper surface of the annular portion 621. The annular portion 621 and the flange 623 form the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610. The annular portion 621 and the flange 623 may be collectively referred to as the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, or each may be referred to as the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610.

[0035] 4, the annular portion 621 constitutes the lower part of the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, and a diaphragm support portion 622 having a plurality of openings exposing the diaphragm 50 (the region corresponding to the anode 60) is disposed inside the annular portion 621. In other embodiments, the diaphragm support portion 622 may be omitted, and the portion of the diaphragm support portion 622 may be a single opening.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the diaphragm support part 622 is a mesh part including a plurality of openings, and as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, it abuts against the upper surface of the diaphragm 50 to support the diaphragm 50 from above. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the diaphragm support part 622 includes a honeycomb structure (inside the circumscribed circle Rm) in which beams 622A arranged in a hexagon are arranged in a honeycomb shape and have a plurality of honeycomb-shaped openings, and a plurality of beams 622B extending radially from the apex of the outermost periphery of the honeycomb structure to the annular part 621 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610. Rm in Fig. 8 indicates the circumscribed circle of the honeycomb structure, and the inside of this circumscribed circle Rm generally indicates the honeycomb structure. The circumscribed circle Rm generally corresponds to the outer shape (projected shape) of the substrate Wf. However, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, the center of the honeycomb structure, i.e., the center Cm of the circumscribed circle Rm, is eccentric from the rotation center / rotation central axis Cw of the substrate holder 20 (substrate Wf). This configuration prevents the plating film formed on the substrate Wf from picking up the pattern of the diaphragm support portion 622, suppressing or preventing a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness. If the center Cm of the honeycomb structure and the rotation center Cw of the substrate Wf are not eccentric (offset), there is a high possibility that a region where a high proportion of the electric field is shielded by the beams 622A will be created even if the substrate Wf is rotated.

[0037] The flange 623 constitutes the upper part of the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and constitutes an attachment part to the inside of the plating tank 10. As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the flange 623 is an annular member and has an opening in the center to expose the diaphragm 50 (the area corresponding to the anode 60). The flange 623 is firmly fixed liquid-tight to the annular part 621 of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 by a fixing method using a fastening member, welding, joining, or the like. A seal may be disposed between the flange 623 and the annular part 621 to fix the two liquid-tightly. In this embodiment, the flange 623 is provided separately from the annular part 621, but when the variable anode mask 650 is not attached to the anode holder 610, the flange 623 may be provided integrally with the annular part 621. An annular seal groove is formed around the entire periphery on the upper surface of the flange 623, and an annular seal 701 is disposed in the seal groove. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 etc., an annular protrusion that is slightly higher than other portions is provided on the inner portion of the upper surface of flange 623, and seal 701 is arranged on this annular protrusion.

[0038] Front panel As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the front plate 640 includes a front plate main body 641 and a frame member 642. The frame member 642 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the front plate main body 641 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the front plate main body 641. The front plate main body 641 and the frame member 642 are fitted to each other with a strength that does not allow them to fall off. As shown in FIG. 4, a ring-shaped seal 703 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the front plate main body 641, for example, over the entire circumference, and the seal 703 provides a liquid-tight seal between the front plate main body 641 and the frame member 642. The seal 703 is arranged, for example, in a seal groove that is provided in a ring shape over the entire circumference on the outer peripheral surface of the front plate main body 641. The seal 703 may be arranged in a seal groove that is provided in a ring shape over the entire circumference on the inner peripheral surface of the frame member 642. A flange 12A that protrudes downward and in the left-right direction is provided around the opening 12B of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10. An annular seal 702 is disposed around the entire circumference of the opening 12B on the front surface of the flange 12A, and the seal 702 seals between the flange 12A and the front plate 640 (frame member 642). The seal 702 is disposed, for example, in an annular seal groove provided around the entire circumference of the opening 12B on the front surface of the flange 12A. The flange 12A constitutes a part of the lower tank 12, but may be provided integrally with the lower tank 12, or may be provided separately from other parts of the lower tank 12 and fixed liquid-tightly to other parts by a fixing method using a fastening member, welding, joining, or the like. The seal 702 may be disposed in a seal groove provided annularly around the entire circumference on the back surface of the frame member 642.

[0039] If a sufficient area can be secured on the side wall (front surface) of the lower tank 12 against which the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 can abut, the flange 12A may be omitted.

[0040] As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the front plate 640 is fixed to the flange 12A of the lower tank 12 by a plurality of fastening members 802 penetrating the frame member 642. The fastening members 802 may be bolts, screws, or any other fastening members. However, from the viewpoint of maintenance of the anode holder assembly 6 (anode holder 610), it is preferable that the fastening members 802 are easily removable. The frame member 642 of the front plate 640 is fixed to the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 by the fastening members 802, so that the gap between the frame member 642 and the flange 12A is sealed by the seal 702. At this time, the frame member 642 moves in the front-rear direction relative to the front plate main body 641, and the seal 702 can be appropriately elastically deformed, so that the sealing performance of the seal 702 can be fully exhibited. As a result, when the anode holder 610 (anode holder assembly 6) is attached to the plating tank 10, the seal 702 between the front plate 640 of the anode holder 610 and the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 liquid-tightly seals the inside of the plating tank 10 from the outside.

[0041] (diaphragm) As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6A, the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50 is attached to the lower surface of the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 via a seal 704. As shown in FIG. 6A, a plurality of fastening members 803 penetrate the seal pressing ring 51, the diaphragm 50, and the seal 704 and are screwed into the annular portion 621, so that the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50 is attached to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 in a state where it is sealed by the seal 704. The seal 704 can be disposed, for example, in a seal groove formed annularly around the lower surface of the annular portion 621 (FIG. 6A). The plurality of fastening members 803 can be bolts, screws, or any other fastening members, and are disposed, for example, evenly around the entire circumference of the seal pressing ring 51. The diaphragm support portion 622 and the annular portion 621 may be collectively referred to as a diaphragm support portion.

[0042] (anode) As shown in FIG. 6B, the anode 60 is attached to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 so as to be in close contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm 50 by the anode fixing plate 62 and the diaphragm presser 810. The anode 60 is supported from below and held in a predetermined position by a plurality of diaphragm pressers 810 which penetrate the anode fixing plate 62 and come into contact with the lower surface of the anode 60 to press the anode 60 against the diaphragm 50. At this time, although not shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the upper surface of the diaphragm 50 is pressed from above by the diaphragm support part 622 (FIG. 5, etc.) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, so that the diaphragm 50 and the anode 60 are sandwiched and held between the diaphragm support part 622 above and the diaphragm presser 810 below. The anode fixing plate 62 is also called a back plate.

[0043] The diaphragm holder 810 may be a bolt, a spacer, or any other support member. Note that Fig. 6B is illustrated in a schematic manner in order to emphasize the gap between the anode 60 and the anode fixing plate 62 formed by the multiple diaphragm holders 810.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6A, the anode fixing plate 62 is fixed to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 outside the seal pressing ring 51 via a plurality of spacers 804A (only one is shown in FIG. 6A). The anode fixing plate 62 is fixed to the outer periphery (annular portion 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 by a plurality of fastening members 804 that penetrate the anode fixing plate 62 and the spacers 804A and screw into the annular portion 621. As a result, gaps are formed between the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the anode fixing plate 62 (between the seal pressing ring 51 and the anode fixing plate 62, and between the annular member 621 and the anode fixing plate 62). Gas (e.g., oxygen) generated in the anode 60 can move to the outside of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 through these gaps.

[0045] The multiple fastening members 804 may be bolts, screws, or any other fastening members, and are, for example, evenly spaced around the entire circumference of the outside of the seal retaining ring 51 .

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6B, a predetermined gap is formed between the lower surface of the anode 60 and the anode fixing plate 62 by the tip side of the diaphragm presser 810. In addition, on the outer circumferential side of the anode 60, at one or more circumferential locations, gaps are provided between the seal pressing ring 51 and the anode fixing plate 62, and between the annular member 621 and the anode fixing plate 62, so that gas accumulated between the lower surface of the anode 60 and the anode fixing plate 62 is discharged to the outside through these gaps. The anode fixing plate (rear plate) 62 has a function of adjusting the amount of gas accumulated on the lower surface of the anode 60 to a predetermined amount and suppressing fluctuations in the anode voltage caused by a large amount of gas being released from the lower surface of the anode at one time. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0047] In this embodiment, the anode 60 is a plate-like member having a large number of through holes (not shown). The anode 60 may be a plate-like member having a lath (wire mesh) structure or other through holes (see International Publication No. WO 2023 / 188371). Since the anode 60 has a large number of through holes, the upper surface of the anode 60 is always kept wet with the plating solution (anode solution) supplied from the through holes even during the electrode reaction. Since the diaphragm 50 is an ion-permeable membrane that can be penetrated and wetted by the plating solution, the anode 60 reacts with the plating solution on the substrate side surface (the portion where the diaphragm 50 is in close contact or in the vicinity thereof) to produce cations (e.g., hydrogen ions H +) is transmitted to the cathode chamber Cc, i.e., the substrate side, through the diaphragm 50. Therefore, an ion conduction path (current path) is formed from the substrate side surface of the anode 60 (the portion where the diaphragm 50 is in close contact with or in the vicinity thereof) through the inside of the diaphragm 50 to the substrate Wf. On the other hand, gas bubbles generated on the surface of the anode 60 cannot pass through the diaphragm 50 and move to the back surface (lower surface) side of the anode 60 through the numerous through holes of the anode 60. The gas bubbles are accumulated on the lower surface of the anode 60 (between the anode 60 and the back plate 62), and then move to the outside of the seal pressing ring 51 and are discharged to the outside of the plating tank 10 through an exhaust passage (not shown).

[0048] Since the upper surface of the anode 60 is in close contact with the lower surface of the diaphragm 50, the gas generated from the anode 60 is suppressed or prevented from accumulating between the anode 60 and the diaphragm 50 and from migrating to the cathode chamber, which suppresses or prevents a decrease in the uniformity of the plating thickness formed on the substrate Wf due to an effect on the electric field (electric field) between the anode 60 and the substrate Wf.

[0049] (variable anode mask) As shown in Fig. 4, the variable anode mask 650 is attached to the annular portion 621 of the holder main body 620 / anode holder 610 at a position slightly higher than the diaphragm support portion 622 (Fig. 5, etc.). The variable anode mask 650 includes a plurality of blades 651 and an annular driving member 652 to which the plurality of blades 651 are attached and which adjusts the aperture (opening diameter) formed by these blades 651. A driving shaft 670 as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 is attached to the driving member 652, and the driving member 652 rotates as the driving shaft 670 is moved in the front-rear direction by an actuator (not shown), thereby adjusting the aperture (opening diameter) formed by the plurality of blades 651. In one example, an actuator (not shown) is disposed on the side of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10 adjacent to the front plate 640 (opening 12B of the lower tank 12) of the anode holder 610, and the shaft of the actuator extends parallel to the drive shaft 670, and the shaft of the actuator and the drive shaft 670 are connected between their tips via a connecting member 671 (see International Publication No. 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1)). The space between the drive shaft 670 and the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) is sealed with an appropriate seal (not shown, see Patent Document 1, for example). The actuator can be configured by a known linear actuator (for example, a motor and a ball screw).

[0050] (First seal surface) The flange 623 of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 is an annular member as shown in FIG. 9, and has an opening in the center to expose the diaphragm 50 (the region corresponding to the anode 60). A seal 701 is disposed around the entire periphery of the upper surface of the flange 623 as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 9. This seal 701 seals between the outer periphery (flange 623) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the lower surface of the flange 12D of the plating tank 10. A seal surface 701A that seals between the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the plating tank 10 is formed between the upper surface of the outer periphery (flange 623) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 and the lower surface of the flange 12D of the plating tank 10, which face each other with the seal 701 in between (see FIG. 4). 4 and 5, a plurality of fastening members 801 pass through the flange 11A of the upper tank 11 and the flange 12D of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10 and are fastened to the flange 623 of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, and when the outer periphery (flange 623) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 is fixed to the flange 12D of the plating tank 10, the seal 701 is elastically deformed with an appropriate pressure to exhibit sealing properties. The plurality of fastening members 801 are provided, for example, evenly around the entire circumference. The fastening members 801 may be bolts, screws, or any other fastening members.

[0051] (Second sealing surface) As shown in FIG. 4, an annular seal 702 is disposed around the entire circumference of the opening 12B on the front surface of the flange 12A of the lower tank 12 of the plating tank 10. The seal 702 seals between the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 and the frame member 642 of the front plate 640. In other words, it seals the opening 12B of the plating tank 10 liquid-tight. A seal surface 702A that seals between the front plate 640 and the plating tank 10 is formed between the front surface of the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 and the back surface of the frame member 642 of the front plate 640, which face each other with the seal 702 in between (see FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, when the front plate 640 of the anode holder 610 is fixed to the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 by a plurality of fastening members 802, the seal 702 is elastically deformed by an appropriate pressure to exhibit sealing properties. At this time, since the frame member 642 of the front panel 640 is movable in the front-rear direction relative to the front panel main body 641, the frame member 642 can be moved relative to the front panel main body 641 so that the frame member 642 elastically deforms the seal 702 with an appropriate pressure depending on the degree of fastening of the multiple fastening members 802. The multiple fastening members 802 can be evenly arranged around the entire circumference, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0052] Here, when the flange 623 of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 is fixed to the flange 12D of the plating tank 10 by the fastening member 801, that is, when the seal 701 is elastically deformed, the flange 12D of the plating tank 10 receives a vertical force from the fastening member 801, and the seal 702 arranged on the flange 12A of the plating tank 10 receives a vertical force, and there is a risk that the seal between the flange 12A and the frame member 642 will not be properly sealed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 is made movable in the front-rear direction relative to the front plate body 641, and the frame member 642 is pressed against the flange 12A independently of the front plate body 641 by fastening the fastening member 802, thereby appropriately compressing and elastically deforming the seal 703 to achieve an appropriate sealing state. For example, by changing the degree of fastening of the upper and lower fastening members 802, the seal 702 can be elastically deformed with an appropriate pressing force at the upper and lower parts.

[0053] (Third seal surface) In addition, in the front plate 640, the gap between the front plate body 641 and the frame member 642 is sealed by an annular seal 703. A seal surface 703A that seals the gap between the front plate body 641 and the frame member 642 is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the front plate body 641 and the inner peripheral surface of the frame member 642, which face each other with the seal 703 in between (see FIG. 4). As a result, the inside of the plating tank 10 is appropriately sealed from the outside. The frame member 642 is fitted and attached to the front plate body 641 with a strength that does not allow it to fall off from the front plate body 641. The seal 703 is disposed, for example, in an annular seal groove provided around the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the front plate body 641. The seal 703 may be disposed in an annular seal groove provided around the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the frame member 642.

[0054] (Catholyte passage) As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 10, the anode holder 610 is provided with a cathode fluid passage 681 communicating with a cathode fluid inlet 680 of the front plate 640 at the lower part of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610. The cathode fluid passage 681 is defined by removing a part of the thickness at the lower part of the outer periphery (annular part 621) of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, the lower surface of the thin part of the annular part 621 of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, the front plate body 641, the bottom wall 613, and the side walls 614 to 617. The side wall 614 is provided in a shape that follows the outer periphery of the diaphragm support part 622 (Fig. 7 and Fig. 10), and one or more notches 614a are provided at the upper part of the side wall 614 (Fig. 7). The notches 614a form the outlet of the cathode fluid passage 681. That is, the cathode fluid passage 681 has an inlet communicating with the cathode fluid inlet 680, and an outlet (notch 614a) that opens above the diaphragm 50. The cathode fluid that flows in from the cathode fluid inlet 680 passes through the cathode fluid passage 681, and is supplied from the notch 614a to above the diaphragm support part 622 (i.e., the cathode chamber Cc above the diaphragm 50).

[0055] 7, the cathode fluid inlet 680 is disposed at the bottom of the cathode chamber Cc, below the holder body 620 / anode holder 610, so that the amount of residual cathode fluid remaining in the cathode chamber Cc can be minimized. The bottom surface (bottom wall 613) of the cathode fluid passage 681 is also located below the anode fixing plate 62, and at the bottom of the cathode chamber Cc.

[0056] (Busbar) A bus bar 660 is disposed near the center in the width direction of the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) (FIGS. 3 and 5). As shown in FIG. 10, the bus bar 660 extends rearward from the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) to near the center of the lower surface of the anode 60, and is electrically and mechanically connected to a boss 60A (terminal portion) that is electrically and mechanically connected to the anode 60 and protrudes downward near the center of the lower surface of the anode 60, for example, by a fastening member 805. The gap between the bus bar 660 and the front plate 640 (front plate main body 641) is sealed by an appropriate seal (not shown, see Patent Document 1, for example). The fastening member 805 may be a bolt, a screw, or any other fastening member.

[0057] According to the above embodiment, the following advantageous effects are achieved. (1) In the anode holder 610, the gap between the outer periphery of the diaphragm 50 and the outer periphery of the holder body 620 / anode holder 610 can be appropriately sealed by the seal 704. (2) The gap between the outer periphery of the anode holder 610 and the inside of the plating tank 10 can be appropriately sealed by the seal 701 so as to divide the inside of the plating tank 10 into upper and lower chambers (anode chamber and cathode chamber). (3) According to the above configurations (1) and (2), by attaching the anode holder 610 to the plating tank 10, the inside of the plating tank 10 can be partitioned and sealed into a cathode chamber and an anode chamber above and below the diaphragm 50. (4) The gap between the front plate 640 of the anode holder 610 and the periphery of the opening 12B of the plating tank 10 can be appropriately sealed by the seal 702. At this time, the seal 702 can be appropriately elastically deformed by moving the frame member 642 of the front plate 640 in the front-rear direction. (5) The gap between the frame member 642 of the front panel 640 and the front panel main body 641 can be appropriately sealed by the seal 703 . (6) By installing the anode holder 610 in the plating tank 10 using the above configurations (4) and (5), the inside of the plating tank 10 can be properly sealed from the outside.

[0058] (Other embodiments) (1) When the seal 704 between the front plate 640 and the plating tank 10 can be used to liquid-tightly seal the inside of the plating tank 10 from the outside by means of, for example, devising a configuration for the seal 704, the front plate main body 641 and the frame member 642 may be made into an integrated front plate 640, and the seal 703 may be omitted. (2) In the above embodiment, a back plate 62 for adjusting the amount of gas accumulated on the underside of the anode 60 is provided. However, instead of the back plate 62, a bubble buffer ring may be provided to surround the anode 60, and the amount of bubbles generated from the anode and accumulated on the underside may be adjusted by the height of the bubble buffer ring (International Publication No. WO 2023 / 188371).

[0059] At least the following aspects can be understood from the above-described embodiment. [1] According to one embodiment, a plating apparatus is provided, comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward; and an anode holder assembly attached to the plating tank so as to be freely pulled out in the horizontal direction through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank, the anode holder having one or more openings in the center, an anode attached to the anode holder, and a diaphragm attached to the anode holder above the anode, the anode holder assembly having one or more sealing surfaces for sealing the inside of the plating tank from the outside, and one or more sealing surfaces for dividing the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers. For convenience of explanation, the one or more sealing surfaces for sealing the inside of the plating tank from the outside may be referred to as a sealing surface for sealing the plating tank, and the one or more sealing surfaces for dividing the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers may be referred to as a sealing surface for dividing the inside of the plating tank.

[0060] According to this embodiment, in a face-down plating apparatus, the diaphragm and the anode, which require periodic maintenance, can be integrated into a removable anode holder, making it easy to maintain the diaphragm and the anode. That is, the anode holder assembly, which holds the anode and the diaphragm, which are disposed in the lower part of the plating tank, can be removed from the plating tank, and the anode and the diaphragm can be replaced (including replacing the entire anode holder assembly) outside the plating tank.

[0061] According to this embodiment, by attaching the anode holder assembly (anode holder) to the plating tank, the inside of the plating tank can be sealed from the outside and the inside of the plating tank can be divided into upper and lower chambers (anode chamber, cathode chamber). That is, the inside of the plating tank can be sealed from the outside by one or more sealing surfaces for sealing the plating tank, and the inside of the plating tank can be divided into upper and lower chambers (anode chamber, cathode chamber) by another one or more sealing surfaces for dividing the inside of the plating tank.

[0062] Furthermore, since the diaphragm is attached to the plating tank by mounting the anode holder in the plating tank, the diaphragm can be easily attached to the plating tank.

[0063] [2] According to one embodiment, the one or more sealing surfaces dividing the interior of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers include a first sealing surface that seals between the diaphragm and the anode holder, and a second sealing surface that seals between an outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank.

[0064] According to this aspect, the diaphragm is attached to the anode holder in a sealed state before the anode holder assembly is attached to the plating tank. Therefore, by sealing the gap between the outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank when the anode holder assembly is attached to the plating tank, the interior of the plating tank can be divided into upper and lower chambers.

[0065] [3] According to one aspect, the diaphragm is attached at an outer periphery of the diaphragm to an outer periphery of the anode holder via a first seal member, and the first seal surface is formed between the outer periphery of the diaphragm and the outer periphery of the anode holder.

[0066] According to this embodiment, the gap between the diaphragm and the anode holder can be sealed with a simple structure.

[0067] [4] According to one embodiment, the plating tank has a first flange having a lower surface exposed to the space within the plating tank, the anode holder has a second flange provided on an upper portion of an outer periphery, and the anode holder is attached to the lower surface of the first flange of the plating tank via an annular second seal on an upper surface of the second flange, and the second seal surface is formed between the upper surface of the second flange of the anode holder and the lower surface of the first flange of the plating tank.

[0068] According to this embodiment, the anode holder and the plating tank can be reliably sealed all around via the opposing surfaces of the anode holder and the plating tank in the vertical direction, thereby making it possible to reliably seal the anode holder and the plating tank all around without being affected by the sealing surfaces that close the opening in the side wall of the plating tank.

[0069] [5] According to one embodiment, the second flange of the anode holder is attached to the first flange of the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and the second seal member is configured to elastically deform between the first flange and the second flange by tightening the fastening members.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the outer periphery of the anode holder can be fixed at a predetermined position in the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and the second seal member can be elastically deformed to reliably seal the gap between the outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank.

[0071] [6] According to one embodiment, the one or more sealing surfaces that seal the interior of the plating tank from the outside include a third sealing surface that seals between the anode holder and a periphery of the opening of the plating tank.

[0072] According to this embodiment, the inside of the plating tank can be sealed from the outside around the opening in the side wall of the plating tank, through which the anode holder assembly is inserted.

[0073] [7] According to one embodiment, the anode holder has a front plate provided at one end side and closing the opening of the plating tank, the front plate has a front plate body and a frame member slidably fitted to the front plate body around the front plate body, the frame member is attached to the side wall around the opening of the plating tank or to a third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank via a third seal, a third seal surface is formed between the frame member and the side wall around the opening of the plating tank or the third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank, and the frame member is fitted to the front plate body via a fourth seal, and a fourth seal surface is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the frame member and the outer peripheral surface of the front plate body. When a third flange is provided, the third flange is a part of the plating tank.

[0074] According to this embodiment, even if the third seal member is displaced by a vertical force, the frame member can be pressed in the front-rear direction against the plating tank side wall / third flange, and the third seal member can be reliably elastically deformed appropriately between the plating tank and the frame member to provide a seal. This allows the third seal member to reliably seal between the plating tank and the frame member. In addition, the fourth seal member can seal between the front plate body and the frame member. As a result, the inside of the plating tank can be reliably sealed from the outside.

[0075] [8] According to one embodiment, the frame member is attached to a side wall surrounding the opening of the plating tank or to the third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and the third seal member is configured to elastically deform between the frame member and the side wall or the third flange by tightening the fastening members.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the front plate can be attached to the side wall of the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and the third seal member can be deformed to reliably seal between the opening of the plating tank and the front plate.

[0077] [9] According to one embodiment, the frame member is fitted to the front panel main body, so that the fourth seal member is configured to elastically deform between the frame member and the front panel main body.

[0078] According to this embodiment, by fitting the frame member to the front panel body, it is possible to elastically deform the fourth seal member so as to reliably seal between the frame member and the front panel body.

[0079]

[10] According to one embodiment, the anode holder has an outer periphery and a diaphragm support portion having a plurality of openings inside the outer periphery and supporting an upper surface of the diaphragm.

[0080] According to this aspect, the upper surface of the diaphragm can be appropriately pressed by the diaphragm support part of the anode holder, and the diaphragm can be prevented from bending upward.

[0081]

[11] According to one embodiment, the plurality of openings of the diaphragm support portion include a plurality of first-shaped openings and a plurality of second-shaped openings arranged outside the plurality of first-shaped openings, and a center of a circumscribed circle containing the plurality of first-shaped openings is eccentric from a center of rotation of the substrate holder.

[0082] According to this embodiment, since the center of the pattern of the diaphragm support part is eccentric from the rotation center / rotation axis of the substrate, the plating film is prevented from being transferred with the shape of the pattern of the diaphragm support part, and the uniformity of the plating film thickness can be improved.

[0083]

[12] According to one embodiment, the structure of the plurality of openings of the first shape is a honeycomb structure.

[0084] According to this embodiment, the diaphragm support part can provide sufficient strength to support the diaphragm at the center where bending is more likely to occur, while ensuring a larger opening area. In other words, the effect on the electric field between the substrate and the anode can be suppressed while suppressing bending of the diaphragm.

[0085]

[13] According to one embodiment, the plurality of second shape openings are formed between a plurality of beams extending radially from an outermost vertex of the honeycomb structure to connect to the outer periphery.

[0086] According to this embodiment, a larger opening area can be secured while ensuring the necessary support strength in the region near the outer periphery of the diaphragm where bending is unlikely to become large.

[0087]

[14] According to one embodiment, the anode is a plate-like member having a plurality of through holes, and is disposed in close contact with the underside of the diaphragm. The anode further includes a back plate spaced a predetermined distance below the anode, and the back plate adjusts the amount of gas generated from the anode that remains on the underside of the anode.

[0088] According to this embodiment, since the anode and the diaphragm are configured to be in close contact with each other, the height dimension of the anode holder assembly integrating the anode and the diaphragm can be reduced, and the anode holder assembly can be configured compactly. According to this embodiment, since the anode is configured to be in close contact with the diaphragm, it is possible to suppress or prevent the gas generated at the anode from accumulating between the diaphragm and the anode, and to suppress or prevent the electric field (electric field) between the anode and the substrate from being affected by the gas, thereby suppressing or preventing the uniformity of the plating film thickness from being affected. In addition, the amount of gas remaining on the lower surface through the multiple through holes of the anode is adjusted by the back plate, and it is possible to suppress or prevent a large amount of gas from escaping from the lower surface of the anode at one time, thereby suppressing or preventing fluctuations in the anode voltage. This makes it possible to suppress or prevent a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0089]

[15] According to one aspect, the anode holder has a catholyte inlet for supplying a plating solution as a catholyte to the cathode chamber.

[0090] According to this embodiment, since the cathode fluid inlet is provided in the anode holder, the plating tank can be made more compact in structure.

[0091]

[16] According to one aspect, the cathode fluid inlet is disposed below the diaphragm, and the anode holder is provided with a cathode fluid passage having an inlet communicating with the cathode fluid inlet below the diaphragm and an outlet opening above the diaphragm.

[0092] According to this configuration, the cathode fluid inlet is located below the diaphragm and at the bottom of the cathode chamber, so that the amount of residual cathode fluid remaining in the cathode chamber can be minimized. Also, because the cathode fluid is introduced from the bottom of the anode holder and supplied above the diaphragm (cathode chamber), it is easy to form a sealing surface for the plating tank at the top of the outer periphery of the anode holder. According to this structure, it is easy to form a sealing surface between the outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank with a simple configuration, and it is easy to ensure a sufficient volume for the anode chamber.

[0093]

[17] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a variable anode mask disposed above the diaphragm.

[0094] According to this embodiment, the variable anode mask can also be integrated into the removable anode holder, facilitating maintenance of the variable anode mask.

[0095]

[18] According to one embodiment, there is provided a method for dividing a plating tank into an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, the method including: preparing an anode holder having an anode and a diaphragm attached thereto, the anode holder having one or more sealing surfaces that seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside and one or more sealing surfaces that divide the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers; attaching the anode holder to the plating tank through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank, and closing the opening of the plating tank with the anode holder to seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside and dividing the inside of the plating tank into the anode chamber and the cathode chamber above and below the diaphragm.

[0096] [A1] According to one embodiment, there is provided a plating apparatus comprising: a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder for holding a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward; an anode arranged opposite the substrate; a diaphragm arranged between the substrate and the anode; and a diaphragm support part for pressing an upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support part having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape arranged outside the plurality of openings of the first shape, wherein a center of a circumscribing circle containing the plurality of openings of the first shape is eccentric from a center of rotation of the substrate holder.

[0097] According to this embodiment, since the center of the pattern of the diaphragm support part is eccentric from the rotation center / rotation axis of the substrate, the plating film is prevented from being transferred with the shape of the pattern of the diaphragm support part, and the uniformity of the plating film thickness can be improved.

[0098] [A2] According to one embodiment, the structure consisting of the plurality of openings of the first shape is a honeycomb structure.

[0099] According to this embodiment, the diaphragm support part can provide sufficient strength to support the diaphragm at the center where bending is more likely to occur, while ensuring a larger opening area. In other words, the effect on the electric field between the substrate and the anode can be suppressed while suppressing bending of the diaphragm.

[0100] [A3] According to one embodiment, the plurality of second shape openings are formed between a plurality of beams extending radially from apexes of the outermost periphery of the honeycomb structure to connect to the outer periphery.

[0101] According to this embodiment, a larger opening area can be secured while ensuring the necessary support strength in the region near the outer periphery of the diaphragm where bending is unlikely to become large.

[0102] [A4] According to one embodiment, the anode is a plate-like member having a plurality of through holes and is arranged in close contact with a lower surface of the diaphragm, and further includes a back plate spaced a predetermined distance below the anode, and the back plate adjusts the amount of gas generated from the anode that remains on the lower surface of the anode.

[0103] According to this embodiment, since the anode and the diaphragm are configured to be in close contact with each other, the height dimension of the anode holder assembly integrating the anode and the diaphragm can be reduced, and the anode holder assembly can be configured compactly. According to this embodiment, since the anode is configured to be in close contact with the diaphragm, it is possible to suppress or prevent the gas generated at the anode from accumulating between the diaphragm and the anode, and to suppress or prevent the electric field (electric field) between the anode and the substrate from being affected by the gas, thereby suppressing or preventing the uniformity of the plating film thickness from being affected. In addition, the amount of gas remaining on the lower surface through the multiple through holes of the anode is adjusted by the back plate, and it is possible to suppress or prevent a large amount of gas from escaping from the lower surface of the anode at one time, thereby suppressing or preventing fluctuations in the anode voltage. This makes it possible to suppress or prevent a decrease in the uniformity of the plating film thickness.

[0104] [A5] According to one embodiment, the device further comprises a variable anode mask disposed above the diaphragm.

[0105] According to this embodiment, the exposed area of ​​the anode can be adjusted by using the variable anode mask, thereby improving the uniformity of the plating thickness.

[0106] [A6] There is provided a plating method for plating a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward, comprising the steps of: preparing a plating tank having an anode facing the substrate, a diaphragm disposed between the substrate and the anode, and a diaphragm support member for pressing an upper surface of the diaphragm, the diaphragm support member having a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape; and plating the substrate while rotating in a state in which the center of rotation of the substrate is eccentric from the center of a circumscribing circle that contains the plurality of openings of the first shape of the diaphragm support member.

[0107] According to this embodiment, since the center of the pattern of the diaphragm support part is eccentric from the rotation center / rotation axis of the substrate, the plating film is prevented from being transferred with the shape of the pattern of the diaphragm support part, and the uniformity of the plating film thickness can be improved.

[0108] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the above-mentioned embodiment of the invention is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, within the scope of being able to solve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems or to achieve at least a part of the effects, any combination of the embodiments and modifications is possible, and any combination or omission of each component described in the claims and specification is possible. The entire disclosures of International Publication No. WO 2003 / 079684 (Patent Document 1) and International Publication No. WO 2023 / 188371, including the specification, claims, drawings and abstract, are incorporated by reference in their entirety into this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 6 Anode holder assembly 10 Plating tank 11 Upper tank 12 Lower tank 12A flange 12B opening 12C Anolyte inlet 12D Flange 20 Substrate holder 30 Paddle 40 Resistor 50 Diaphragm 51 Seal retaining ring 60 Anode 60A Boss 62 Anode fixing plate 400 Plating Module 610 Anode holder 613 Bottom wall 614~617 Side wall 614a Cutout 620 Holder body 621 Circular section 622 Diaphragm support part 622A Beam 622B Beam 623 Flange 640 Front panel 641 Front panel body 642 Frame members 650 Variable Anode Mask 651 Blade 652 Driving member 660 Busbar 670 Drive shaft 671 Connecting members 680 Catholyte inlet 681 Cathode fluid passage 701~704 Seal 701A~704A Seal surface 801~805 Fastening members 804A Spacer 810 Diaphragm Holder 1000 Plating Equipment Rm Circumscribed circle Cm Center of circumscribed circle Cw Rotation center (rotation axis) Wf substrate

Claims

1. a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder that holds a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward; an anode holder assembly that is mounted in the plating tank through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank so as to be freely removable in a horizontal direction, the anode holder having one or more openings in a central portion, an anode attached to the anode holder, and a diaphragm attached to the anode holder above the anode; Equipped with the anode holder assembly has one or more sealing surfaces that seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside, and one or more sealing surfaces that divide the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers, the one or more sealing surfaces dividing the interior of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers include a first sealing surface that seals between the diaphragm and the anode holder, and a second sealing surface that seals between an outer periphery of the anode holder and the plating tank. Plating equipment.

2. 2. The plating apparatus according to claim 1, the diaphragm is attached at an outer periphery of the diaphragm to an outer periphery of the anode holder via a first seal member, and the first seal surface is formed between the outer periphery of the diaphragm and the outer periphery of the anode holder.

3. 2. The plating apparatus according to claim 1, The plating tank has a first flange having a lower surface exposed to a space within the plating tank, the anode holder has a second flange provided on an upper portion of an outer periphery, the anode holder is attached to the lower surface of the first flange of the plating tank via an annular second seal member on an upper surface of the second flange, the second sealing surface is formed between the upper surface of the second flange of the anode holder and the lower surface of the first flange of the plating tank.

4. 4. The plating apparatus according to claim 3, The second flange of the anode holder is attached to the first flange of the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and the second seal member is configured to be elastically deformed between the first flange and the second flange when the fastening members are tightened.

5. 5. The plating apparatus according to claim 1, The anode holder has an outer periphery and a diaphragm support portion that has a plurality of openings inside the outer periphery and supports an upper surface of the diaphragm.

6. 6. The plating apparatus according to claim 5, the plurality of openings of the diaphragm support portion include a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape, A plating apparatus, wherein a center of a circumscribing circle that contains the plurality of openings of the first shape is eccentric from a rotation center of the substrate holder.

7. 7. The plating apparatus according to claim 6, The plating apparatus, wherein the structure consisting of the plurality of openings of the first shape is a honeycomb structure.

8. 8. The plating apparatus according to claim 7, The plating apparatus, wherein the plurality of second shape openings are formed between a plurality of beams extending radially from an outermost vertex of the honeycomb structure to the outer periphery.

9. 6. The plating apparatus according to claim 5, the anode is a plate-like member having a plurality of through holes, and is disposed in close contact with a lower surface of the diaphragm; a back plate spaced a predetermined distance below the anode; The plating apparatus comprises a back plate for adjusting an amount of gas generated from the anode that remains on the lower surface of the anode.

10. 5. The plating apparatus according to claim 1, The anode holder has a cathode liquid inlet for supplying a plating solution as a cathode liquid to a cathode chamber of the plating tank.

11. 11. The plating apparatus according to claim 10, the catholyte inlet is located below the diaphragm; the anode holder is provided with a cathode fluid passage having an inlet communicating with the cathode fluid inlet below the diaphragm and an outlet opening above the diaphragm.

12. 5. The plating apparatus according to claim 1, The plating apparatus further comprises a variable anode mask disposed above the diaphragm.

13. a plating tank for holding a plating solution; a substrate holder that holds a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward; an anode holder assembly that is mounted in the plating tank through an opening in a side wall of the plating tank so as to be freely removable in a horizontal direction, the anode holder having one or more openings in a central portion, an anode attached to the anode holder, and a diaphragm attached to the anode holder above the anode; Equipped with the anode holder assembly has one or more sealing surfaces that seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside, and one or more sealing surfaces that divide the inside of the plating tank into upper and lower chambers, the one or more sealing surfaces that seal the inside of the plating tank from the outside include a third sealing surface that seals between the anode holder and a periphery of the opening of the plating tank; the anode holder has a front plate provided at one end side and closing the opening of the plating tank, the front plate having a front plate main body and a frame member that is fitted around the front plate main body so as to be slidable relative to the front plate main body, The frame member is attached to a side wall surrounding the opening of the plating tank or a third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank via a third seal member, and the third seal surface is formed between the frame member and the side wall surrounding the opening of the plating tank or the third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank, The frame member is fitted to the front panel body via a fourth seal member, and a fourth seal surface is formed between an inner peripheral surface of the frame member and an outer peripheral surface of the front panel body. Plating equipment.

14. 14. The plating apparatus according to claim 13, The plating apparatus is configured such that the frame member is attached to the side wall surrounding the opening of the plating tank or to the third flange provided around the opening of the plating tank by one or more fastening members, and the third seal member is elastically deformed between the frame member and the side wall or the third flange when the fastening members are tightened.

15. 14. The plating apparatus according to claim 13, The plating apparatus is configured such that the frame member is fitted to the front plate body, such that the fourth seal member is elastically deformed between the frame member and the front plate body.

16. 16. The plating apparatus according to claim 13, The anode holder has an outer periphery and a diaphragm support portion that has a plurality of openings inside the outer periphery and supports an upper surface of the diaphragm.

17. 17. The plating apparatus according to claim 16, the plurality of openings of the diaphragm support portion include a plurality of openings of a first shape and a plurality of openings of a second shape disposed outside the plurality of openings of the first shape, A plating apparatus, wherein a center of a circumscribing circle that contains the plurality of openings of the first shape is eccentric from a rotation center of the substrate holder.

18. 18. The plating apparatus according to claim 17, The plating apparatus, wherein the structure consisting of the plurality of openings of the first shape is a honeycomb structure.

19. 20. The plating apparatus according to claim 18, The plating apparatus, wherein the plurality of second shape openings are formed between a plurality of beams extending radially from an outermost vertex of the honeycomb structure to the outer periphery.

20. 17. The plating apparatus according to claim 16, the anode is a plate-like member having a plurality of through holes, and is disposed in close contact with a lower surface of the diaphragm; a back plate spaced a predetermined distance below the anode; The plating apparatus comprises a back plate for adjusting an amount of gas generated from the anode that remains on the lower surface of the anode.

21. 16. The plating apparatus according to claim 13, The anode holder has a cathode liquid inlet for supplying a plating solution as a cathode liquid to a cathode chamber of the plating tank.

22. 22. The plating apparatus according to claim 21, the catholyte inlet is located below the diaphragm; the anode holder is provided with a cathode fluid passage having an inlet communicating with the cathode fluid inlet below the diaphragm and an outlet opening above the diaphragm.

23. 16. The plating apparatus according to claim 13, The plating apparatus further comprises a variable anode mask disposed above the diaphragm.